Traffic lane divider



B. N LANDEEN TRAFFIC LANE DIVIDEB Filed March 4, 1937 Patented Feb. 7, 1939 B ard t -cl emm ,sisn 'to The Chicago Heights, 111., as- Translode Jointnflornpany, Chicage Heights, 1 11., a'. corporation of Illinois Application March4, 1933i, s minar 128,891 9 Claims. (01; er -1 .5)

invention relates to improvements in trafiicla-ne dividers for use on concreteroads for dividing. the. road into a series oftraffic lanes, saidcimprovedstrafiic lane dividers: consisting of 5*, grail sections. positioned inabutting relation end to. endl and having.upwardly projeoting waved ribs tintegrally forming a part thereof to provide tapered grooves on opposite sides of-the traflic lanes-divider .rails to assist in directing vehicles 1 Q agvstrikingithe. divider back onto the pavement;

vItuis .an object of this-inventionto provide a traffic' lane divider-wherein the same is formed by means of.placing-rail:membersend-toend so that rib-members formed on" or diagonally: opposite tapered recesses on opposite: sides of the traffic lane-divider to prevent binding of thewheels of a-vehicle-strikingthe ll-edividerfland alsoserving to assist in directing the vehicleaway from the divider into a-proper-positionainia traffic lanes .;:Another object I of the-invention is to providea roa'd trafiic lane divider I formed of a plurality I 6 ;,of :abutting rail= members having a directional ribs integrally formedthereon in such a manner that when. theirail members arepositio ned' upon aroad thesribs will mation. producing tapered pockets on" opposite esides-of the dividerforobviatingbindingoi-vehicler-wheels against the sides of the divider and tending. to direct the vehicle back onto its proper lane ratherthan permitting the vehicle to cross over .the divider, into an adjacent 1 lanes .It isra further object'of this inventionto'pro- -vide.an improved traffic lanes divider made up ofialplurality ofstandard rail sections adapted to :be placed end'to end inalternating-relationv to producea continuous waved rib along thetop 40;of thendivider with said rib being; provided atspaced intervals with sparkler means to: permit thetrafiiclanedivider to bereadily discernible at 7 night.

on roads. .Said stru'cted of rail sections having rib--members of various configurations integrallyformed ron the top',,there,of sothatwhen the rail. sections are 505placed-in a selected aligned ,orderw'on a road they wilhproduce a-.cont inuous waved rib; producing alternately arranged tapered pockets on recesses on opposite sides of the divider serving to obviate bindingof; vehicle wheels against; the side ofpthe Wadii idereandtfu thermq e' a ti g 3 ias t he r therail-members will be repositioned to connect up with: one another and formra continuous wavedrib-forming staggered iorma continuous wave for- 'zIt is' an; important object of this invention to provide an improved trafiic lane "divider for usetrafiic lane divider being con-- hicle in being directed away from the side of the traflic lane divider, thereby obviating the promiscuous or accidental crossing of vehicles from one trafiic lane over axtrafiic lane divider into an adjacent .trafiic lane.

, Other andhfurther important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the'specification and the accompanying drawing.

Theinvention, (inpreferred form) is illustrated inthe drawing. and' hereinafter more fully .described.

On the: drawing -,Figure. 1 is a fragmentary'xtop plan view of a road having mounted longitudinally thereon an improved'traflic lane divider embodying'the principles; of thiszinventiomand separating the road into :trafiic lanes.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view ofitheistructure, illustratedinFigure l.

, Figure .3 is an;enlargedltop. plan view of one form of trafiicxlane divider rail section having sparkle'rs supported on an'inclined rib'member. Figure 4liss a side elevationof the divider rail section illustratedin Figure 3;

Figure,5;is'a transverse detail section-ofthe rail isectionz taken on illustrating the retainer bolt-in v elevation.

,Figure=6;is-;a fragmentary top plan View of a Pflrtion, of: the trafiic lanevdivider illustrating a secondl-formv-of rail section having an S shaped ribintegrallyl formed thereon with the ends of said ,s-shapedribregistering with the ends of inclined, ribs formed won rail sections of the type illustrated in Figure 3:

,Figure :7 is-a; side elevation'of the section of the-:traflicilane :divider illustrated in Figure 6.

Figure-8 is'anxenlarged' end lviewof the traflic lanetdi-vider. rail section illustrated in -=Figure 3.

Figure -:9'is anizend elevation of a modified formof: trafiic :lane divider: rail section whichi may: be use"d-;in-pla'ce of therail section shown in Figure 8.

,As shown on-ithe drawing:

-':This invention-ihas as itstobjectxtheproviding of 'ranlarrangement for dividing .the surface of a road LOP highway intortseparatediatrafiic lanes by means .-of an. improvedttrafiic' lane divider which is so constructed "that when vehicles moving in opposite 'directi'ons in adjacent lanes happen to besaccidentallysteered into the trafliclane divider,said vehicles; willibedirected away from one another backinto their proper positions in their respective-.trafiic lanes,- thus avoiding accidents.

Figur- =es- 1 to 8 inclusive illustrate a preferred form fthetrafiic lane-divider embodying the principles oi -thisinvention. The assembled trafline VVv of Figureiii and fic lane divider illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 in its assembled form, is mounted longitudinally upon a concrete road to separate the concrete traflic lanes I and 2 from another. The improved trafiic lane divider is constructed of a plurality of metal rail sections 3 and 4 which are positioned end to end in abutting relation, in alternating relation with respect to one another, to form a substantially continuous trafiic lane divider between the two road lanes I and 2.

In the construction shown the metal rail sections 3 are longer than the rail sections 4. It will, of course,-be understood that the length of the rail sections 3 and 4 may be varied depending upon circumstances.

As clearly illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 5, each of the divider rail sections 3 has integrally formed upon the top thereof a diagonally disposed deflecting rib 5, the top Each side of the diagonal rib 5 is of a concave construction starting out at one end of the rail section with the large curve I, illustrated in Figure 8, and gradually tapering toward the opposite end of the rail section upwardly and outwardly to provide a guide pocket or groove 8. As clearly illustrated in Figure 3, the two side grooves or pockets 8 on opposite sides of the rib 5 of the rail sections 3 are tapered in opposite directions with respect to one another. The rib portion of each of the divider rail sections 3 is provided with Vertical openings or passages for anchoring bolts 9 adapted to securely anchor or hold the rail section 3 secure to the concrete forming the road. The anchoring bolts 9 have sparkler buttons I0 formed on the heads thereof to afford a means for readily indicating the position of the divider rail sections at night.

Alternately arranged between the divider rail sections 3 and abutting against the ends thereof are the shorter rail sections 4 which are also constructed out of metal. Each of the rail sections 4 has integrally formed on the top thereof an irregularly shaped or S-rib II the top of which is curved or round complementary to the curvature 6 of the rib 5. The side walls of the S-shaped rib II curves downwardly and outwardly toward the sides of the rail section 4 and form rounded or concave pockets or grooves which are disposed diagonally opposite one another on opposite sides of the dividing rib II. The pockets or grooves formed on the opposite sides of the rib II are indicated by the reference numeral I2 and are so shaped that the ends thereof are of the same size and register with the ends of the pockets or recesses 8 on opposite sides of the ribs 5 of the rail sections 3. As clearly illustrated in Figure 6, the pockets I2 and 8 coact with one another to provide alternately staggered rounded and tapered grooves on opposite sides of the continuous divider rib formed by the coacting relationship of the ribs 6 and I I of the aligned divider rail sections 3 and 4. The rib portions II of each of the rail sections 4 are provided with vertical openings or passages for the reception of retaining bolts 9 for holding the rail sections 4 anchored to the concrete.

As clearly illustrated in Figures 2 and 7, the aligned rail sections 3 and 4 have the concave tapered pockets or grooves 8-I2 formed in staggered relation on opposite sides of the continuous ribs 5-I I, provides a traflic lane divider having side walls I3 of graduated height to form walls having wave-shaped crests with the low points of the walls I3 registering with the low portions .traific lane divider to of which is rounded as at 6..

of the side pockets or grooves I2 to permit the wheels of a vehicle when directed against the engage in one of the rounded and tapered side grooves of the divider permitting the inclined ribs to guide the vehicle back into the lane from which it came. As the Wheel of a vehicle is directed into one of the side grooves, it runs upwardly on the inclined surface of the groove toward the tapered end thereof and Figure 9 illustrates a modified form of trafi'ic lane divider rail section l4 constructed of iron or steel or any suitable material and having formed integrally thereon a diagonally positioned rib I 5 having a rounded top I6. The rib portion of the rail section is provided with vertical side walls I7 which are higher at one end of the rail section and tapered toward the otherend'of the rail section. The lower upwardly inclined edge of each of the side walls I I of the rib I5 registers with an inclined tapered surface I8, the lower end of which is wider than the upper end. This construction provides for angularly tapered pockets or grooves on opposite sidesof the rib I5.

In a similar manner, an'intermediate rail section corresponding with that illustrated in Figure 6 except, agonally opposite pockets for diverting the wheels of a vehicle outwardly, are of angular shape in-- stead of being rounded or concave.

The improved trafiic vention is adapted to vider, are prevented from binding with the side; of the divider for the reason that thetires of the wheels are adapted to engage in any one of the pockets I28, sorthat the wheel engaged in said pocket, is caused to run divider back onto the concrete pavement of the lanein which thevehicle was normally driven. It if vehicles coming from opposite directions, in adjacent lanes of the road, happen to strike opposite sides of the trafiic lane dividerat substantially the same location that the two vehicles instead of colliding with one another will be directed outwardly away from one another by the shape of the waved rib and the tapered pockets in the sides of the traflic lane divider, so that an accident is thereby avoided.

-It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles will also be noted that.

pose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

diagonally on the depth on opposite the road.

' I claim as my invention: I

1. A road trafiic lane divider comprising a plurality of long and short rail sections placed end to end in abutting relation, ribs integrally formed top of the long rail sections, S-"shaped ribs integrally formed upon the tops of the shorter rail sections and registering with thediagonal ribs on the long rail sections to form a continuous waved rib upon the top of the traffic lane divider and forming grooves of decreasing sides of the continuous waved ribt'o enable a vehicle striking the side of the divider to be directed back to the proper side of 2. A road traffic lane divider comprising a plurality of alternating long and short rail sections placed end to end irrabutting relation, ribs intediagonally on the top of the long rail section, 5- haped ribs integrally formed upon the top of the shorter rail sections and registering with the straight diagonal ribs on the long rail sections to form a continuous waved rib upon the top of the trafiic lane divider and providing tapered grooves for enabling a vehic'le to return to the proper side of the road, means for anchorr ingthe rail sections in position to hold same aligned with respect to one another, and sparklers lane divider readily on the retaining means for making the traflic discernible at night,

, 3; A road trafiic lane divider comprising a plurality, of rail sections disposed end to end and having abutting alternately arranged diagonal and S -shaped rib members integrally formed on the tops thereof and forming reversed longitudinally tapered grooves decreasing in depth in the direction of traffic on the traffic lane and positioned on opposite sides of the rib members,

saidribmembers having the ends thereof registering with the adjacent ends of adjoining rib members to form a continuouswaved rib longi- V sitioned on opposite sides of the rail sections, said vehicle striking of the tapered groovesto "formed on the tudinally of the traflic lane divider to enable a follow along the line of. decreasing depth of the groove to be returned to the proper side of the road from which it came.

- 4. A road trafiic lane divider comprising a plurality of rail sections positioned end to end, di-

agonal and S-shaped rib members integrally tops of the rail sections and having diagonally opposite tapered grooves of, decreasing depth in the direction of traffic and porail sections arranged with alternate sections having the S-shaped rib members thereof outto the traffic lane wardly directed with respect inwardly directed bers of one rail section abutting and registering with the ends of the rib members of adjacent rail sections to form a continuous wave-like rib along the top of the traffic lane divider and with the grooves of adjacent rail sections registering and forming staggered tapered recesses on opposite sides of the waved rib to cause a vehicle striking in one of the recesses to be returned to the side of the road from which it came.

5. A road traflic lane divider comprising an elongated base, a waved rib formed of abutting respect to the traffic lane elongated body portion inthe enlarged deep end of one.

which it came.

6. A road trafiic lane divider comprising a body portion having parallel side walls, the upper edges of which are formed to provide alternating crests and depressions, and a waved rib integrally formed on the top of the body portion by S-shaped rib members outwardly directed with and by diagonal rib members inwardly directed with respect to the traflic lane and providing tapered grooves on opposite sides of the divider with said grooves decreasing in depth in the direction of traffic on the traflic lane and opening through the side walls of the divider to form the alternating crests and depressions in said side walls to enable a vehicle striking one side of the divider to return to the same side of the road.

7. A trafiic lane divider comprising a body portion having diagonally opposite portions cut away from opposite sides thereof to form a waved rib, including alternately arranged S-shaped sections directed outwardly with respect to the traific lane and abutting diagonal sections inwardly directed with respect to the traflic lane, the bight portions of said rib alternately registering with the opposite side walls of the body portion of the divider and providing grooves of decreasing depth in the direction of trafiic on the traflic lane to enable a vehicle engaging a groove to be directed away from the divider.

8. A road traffic lane divider comprising an having parallel side walls, said body portion having diagonally opposite tapered grooves formed therein decreasing in depth in the direction. of traffic on the traific lane and opening'through the walls of the body portion forming a waved rib longitudinally of the body portion and separating the tapered grooves on each side of the divider from one another and from the tapered grooves on the opposite side of the divider to enable a vehicle striking one side of thedivider to enter a tapered groove and be directed back to the same side of the road from which the approach was made.

9. A road trafiic lane divider comprising a plurality of aligned rail sections positioned in abutting relation withrespect to one another, alternately arranged diagonal and s-shaped rib sections integrally formed on the top of the rail sections with the ends of the diagonal rib sections of one rail section registering with the adjacent ends of the S-shaped rib sections on adjacent rail sections to form a continuous waved rib upon the top of the trafiic lane divider providing staggered tapered guide grooves in the sides of the traffic lane divider to enable a vehicle striking the divider to be returned to the proper side of the road, means for anchoring the traffic lane divider on the road, and means on the waved rib to indicate the location of the traffic lane divider on a road at night.

BERNARD N. LANDEEN. 

